VANCOUVER — Call this one the “Minor Miracle on Ice.”
While not in the same weight class as the United States’ historic victory in Lake Placid 30 years ago today, the U.S. hockey team pulled off its biggest shocker since then, upsetting the Canadians, 5-3, on their home soil in an Olympic preliminary-round game.
Much like the Soviet Union did in 1980, Canada dominated the game, but came up on the wrong end on the scoreboard.
The Canadians took nearly twice as many shots as America, but U.S. goalie Ryan Miller played the game of his life and the Americans withstood a furious push in the final minutes to earn the victory at Canada Hockey Place.
“It’s probably one of the biggest games I’ve ever played,” said Miller, who had 42 saves. “Winning this one felt really good.”
The win advances the U.S. team to Wednesday’s quarterfinals as the medal round’s top seed — something unthinkable a week ago — after Sweden’s 3-0 victory over Finland in last night’s late game.
Former Devil Brian Rafalski led the charge for the Americans, scoring two goals, giving him four in three tournament games. Team USA captain and Devils forward Jamie Langenbrunner scored the game-winner with 12:51 left to play on a power-play goal.
This tournament was supposed to be the Sidney Crosby show. With a nation behind it, Team Canada was the favorite coming in, with Russia a close second.
The Americans?
They were the youngest team here. The best hope was that they got some experience here that paid off in 2014 at the Games in Sochi, Russia.
Now, they’re a serious contender for gold.
“I think it’s good for the young guys,” Rafalski said. “It gives them some confidence to win a big game like this early.”
The building was rocking from the time the teams took the ice to warm up 40 minutes before the puck dropped. With 18,561 fans, most wearing red and white, the feeling in the air was like a Stanley Cup Game 7.
In the dressing room, the Americans felt the pressure building.
“It was a pretty quiet room,” David Backes said. “I was even saying stuff trying to cut the tension a little bit.”
Backes told his teammates, “You’re playing the best team in the world and we have a chance to do something special here.”
Just as the “Go Canada” chant started, Rafalski quieted the crowd with a goal 41 seconds in. The slap shot ricocheted off Crosby’s stick past Brodeur for a 1-0 lead.
The Americans never trailed. Miller withstood pressure from the Canadians all night, as the Americans were outshot 45-23.
When Canada tied the game 1-1 with 11:07 to go in the first period, Rafalski struck again 22 seconds later to put the U.S. back on top.
“We did a great job responding to everything,” Miller said. “When things happened, we responded. We didn’t get nervous or anxious and kept playing.”
The game was tied 2-2 when the Rangers’ Chris Drury scored with 3:14 to go in the second period. Brodeur was on his stomach after a series of shots when Drury got one past him.
Langenbrunner made it 4-2 in the third period, a goal that turned out to be huge when Crosby scored on a power play with 3:09 remaining in the game.
The next minutes seemed to take forever, with Canada camped out in the U.S. zone. But Miller and company kept turning away shots while the crowd held its breath.
When Ryan Kesler beat Corey Perry to the puck and slapped in an empty-netter, the sad Canadian fans filed up the aisles and the U.S. team rejoiced.
Erik Johnson summed up how sweet it felt to silence the home crowd: “I wouldn’t want to play Canada anywhere but Canada.”